She returned hours later with lunch. She dropped the second tray and took the first one without saying a word. Again, I ignored the food on the plate.
I admired the birds flying in front of the window, hopping from branch to branch, flapping their wings at a dizzying speed. They seemed so… alive. Very different from how I felt.
I lost track of time and spare, too focused on the forest animals that served as a distracting throughout the whole day.
I only moved when I noticed the sun had weakened a bit, showing that another day had passed. I got up, forcing myself to drag my feet out of bed walked to the bathroom.
My reflection in the mirter was a sad and depressing sight. Purple dark circles, angular and protruding cheekbones, a wollen, hattered, and dirty fare, with dark strands full of knots falling around.
I turned my head and pushed aside the strands still with dried blood. There was nothing there, no mark from the wound the previous day. Once again, Fenrir’s saliva had skillfully healed me.
I took off my dirty clothes, tossing them into the corner as if it were a necessity to get rid of them after wearing them for so long
1 let the hot water fall over me, relaxing the tense muscles. I looked at my feet, watching the dark liquid flow, washing away all the dirt.
I scrubbed myself several times until my skin burned and my scalp throbbed, I needed to absorb the scent of flowers from the beauty products so I could try to forget the smell of death, of violence.
When I finished my shower, I dragged myself back to the room. I stopped at the door and held the towel tightly, gasping in surprise.
Nicoleta was bent over the bed, adjusting the sheets. She straightened up and turned to me, placing a hand over her heart, startled.
“Forgive me, I thought you would take longer. I didn’t want to disturb you, but I needed to change the bed linens,” she said, a blush rising in her cheeks. “They were dirty from the dim.”
I nodded, looking away.
ta… past…” I cleared my
“It’s fine, Nicoleta |
She shook her head with a hand gesture.
throat.
“It wasn’t your fault, Miss Savannah. Fatalities happen. I’m sorry you had to witness little Ruda’s death.”
I wanted to argue, scream that it was my fault, that I could have done more,
e, but I couldn’t. My throat closed up, and tears blurred my vision.
I turned toward the wardrobe, ready to pick something to wear when I spotted a box on the corner chair. It was white, large, tied with a pink bow
“What is this?” I asked, walking toward it with unsteady steps.
Nicoleta shrugged.
“It was here when I arrived”
I breathed in, trying to sme
air, but the sweet scent of cleaning products she had used was so strong that I couldn’t smell anything else.
Angrily, I leaned over the box and untied the knot, I pulled off the lid and stared at the white fabric with furrowed brows
“It’s a dress,” I said, running my fingers over the satin, feeling it. ‘A white dress,”
She blinked, shucked.
“It must have been from Mr.
- r. Fenrir. Today, during the ceremony, everyone must wear white.”
“But why white?”
In my old pack, death was only seen as a passage. It was treated simply and reverently.
“Because white symbolizes purity, spirituality, and the transition to another world. For us, death and mourning are not an absolute end but a stage of transition to a new existence. Wearing white on the day of the funeral is like a promise of eternal life to the deceased.”
17
felt a weight on my chest and forced myself to take a deep breath.
Fenrir had, as always, left this information out, but at least he patched things up this time, sending me the clothes I should wear. I was tired of embarrassing myself in front of his pack for not knowing their customs.
Thank you for explaining it to me. I murmured, taking the box. ‘It was… kind of Fenrir to send me the right clothes.”
Nicoleta smiled, proud of herself.
I walked toward the bathroom with the box in hand, but stopped when I heard shouting. I sharpened my hearing. It was a female voice, Marilyn’s voice, which seemed to be protesting an order given by Fenrir.
“What is that?” I whispered, thinking out loud.
“Mr. Fenrir already gave clear orders for Miss Marilyn not to come
here anymore,
but she disobeyed his orders and came to the house this afternoon.”
Hearing that bitch’s name made me nauseous. My wolf stirred after hours of silence in mourning for Ruda upon hearing about that wretch.
1 let out a laugh.
“It’s like
ke Fenrir has control over her,” I mocked.
Nicoleta breathed heavily.
“Miss Marilyn is a bit… invasive sometimes, but the only one who can still control her is Mr. Fentir.”
1 turned to her, raising an eyebrow.
“If that were true, she wouldn’t come to his house after receiving clear orders not to.”
